Athletics: Sonia Waddell hails Dutch Olympic training camp after Waikato sprint breakthrough

Emerging 400m runner Madeleine Waddell (left).

Waikato Athletics received an international boost after coach and former elite athlete Sonia Waddell returned from a three-week high-performance training camp in South Africa.

Waddell and her daughter, emerging 400m runner Madeleine Waddell, recently joined the Dutch Olympic sprint squad at an altitude base in Potchefstroom, near Johannesburg.

Speaking on Waikato’s All Sports Breakfast, Sonia described the experience as transformative, not only for her daughter as an athlete, but also for herself as a coach.

“It’s one thing to explain what that environment looks like,” she said. “But to actually experience it to live it every day, that’s where the real learning happens.”

The Dutch squad’s programme, coached by renowned sprint mentor Laurent Meuwly, is regarded as one of the most successful 400m and relay programmes in the world.

The training base in South Africa offers warm summer conditions during the European winter, with no time-zone disruption for northern hemisphere athletes.

For Madeleine, the opportunity to train alongside athletes, including Femke Bol, was daunting but empowering.

“There was huge excitement at first,” Sonia said.

“Then the reality hits, these are real people, standing right in front of you. But they were incredibly welcoming. Femke was one of the first to introduce herself and invite Maddie into the squad.”

That openness quickly translated into confidence.

“[Madeleine] realised they’re human beings.

“Yes, they’re world-class, but she was right in the mix. It showed her that the gap isn’t as big as it might seems. It comes down to detail and professionalism.”

While the camp took place during the off-season, the impact was quickly visible.

By the end of the three weeks, Madeleine had progressed from cautiously sitting behind elite athletes to confidently leading hill reps alongside them.

“To see her line up at the front and take off with belief, that was pretty special. The confidence shift was huge,” Sonia said.

Exposure to the Dutch programme’s data-driven approach, including biomechanical feedback and detailed performance analysis, also helped sharpen Madeleine’s running.

“We’ve already seen changes. But more than times, it’s her belief and understanding of what’s required at the top level.”

For Sonia, who is currently rehabbing from hamstring surgery, the trip doubled as a professional development opportunity.

She said the willingness of the Dutch coaches to share their knowledge was extraordinary.

“I’d never met them before. I just reached out and asked,” she said.

“When I got there, they opened the books, the why, the how, everything.”

When she asked why they were so generous, the answer was simple.

“They want athletics to lift globally,” Sonia said.

“There were athletes from about 12 different nationalities training together. It’s a truly global mindset.”

The experience was made possbile through High Performance Sport New Zealand and Athletics New Zealand’s Te Hāpaitanga coaching programme, Sonia said.

“As coaches, we were asked, ‘What’s your dream? Who do you want to learn from?’ That question led directly to this opportunity.”

Looking ahead, Sonia said the domestic season promised excitement.

“We have incredible sprint depth right now. The goal is to normalise high-performance environments and get athletes comfortable on the world stage.”

For Madeleine, the South African camp has opened doors well beyond training.

“She’s built friendships and contacts all over the world. That’s priceless.”

Graeme “Mintie” Mead is a sports commentator, the host of the radio show Waikato All Sports Breakfast and a Newstalk ZB overnight host. He is also a Hamilton City Councillor.